Ready Player One Theme of Competition

Video game competitions are a big deal, sometimes offering thousands—even millions—of dollars in prizes. And that's just for mastering one game. Halliday's Hunt in Ready Player One requires its participants to not only master a few classic video games, but also to memorize, word-for-word, a variety of films as well. On top of that, he left behind some pretty twisty riddles to solve. We're not sure if all this is worth billions of dollars in prize money, but it sure makes for a wildly entertaining ride.

Questions About Competition

What drives millions of people to hunt for Halliday's egg? Are their motivations all the same?

Does the competition for the egg strengthen or harm Wade's various relationships? How so?